The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.
The present invention lies in the field of music, in general. Typically, a music note is essentially one audible frequency, with a scale being a set of frequency intervals that connects one note to the same note of double the initial frequency. A chord occurs when multiple notes or frequencies are played simultaneously, in one or more scales. Such chord progression then produces music. Some common elements of music are pitch, (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (including concepts such as tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics (loudness and softness), and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture.
Music has developed over the years as technology has progressed. As a result, representation of generally analog music signals as digital content for binary computer manipulation has been developed.
For example, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface and methods of interconnection and allows a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers and other related devices to connect and communicate with one another. MIDI was developed so that musical instruments could communicate with each other and so that one instrument can control another. In general, a single MIDI link can carry up to sixteen channels of information, each of which can be routed to a separate device.
Accordingly, MIDI typically carries event messages that specify notation, pitch and velocity, control signals for parameters such as volume, vibrato, audio panning, cues, and clock signals that set and synchronize tempo between multiple devices. These messages are typically transmitted via a MIDI connection, e.g. cable, wireless, etc., to other devices where they control sound generation and other features. This data can also be recorded into a hardware or software device called a sequencer, which can be used to edit the data and to play it back at a later time.
MIDI data files are a means of storing MIDI messages in a standardized and persistent manner, where MIDI messages are stored, and can later be recalled and transmitted to MIDI devices. An example use of a MIDI data file would be where a pop song is stored as a sequence of MIDI messages held in a MIDI data file, whereby recalling the MIDI messages and transmitting them to a musical keyboard would cause said keyboard to play the pop song. MIDI data files are static after creation in that they do not change, evolve or comprise any dynamic elements. MIDI data files can be edited by a user using technologies relevant to MIDI music composition.
Applicant has identified a need in the art for musicians playing guitar, or similarly stringed instruments, who require backing tracks or similar accompaniment whilst playing. Conventionally, solo guitarists seeking automatic backing tracks or accompaniment are limited to using pre-recorded backing tracks, or using looping pedals. Looping pedals provide an ability to overdub repeated recordings of live guitar playing in order to form a layer of sounds. However, use of looping pedals is not practical in the context of mainstream live performances rendered on guitar and is generally limited to use by only the most technical and accomplished of players.
Another approach has seen the use of pre-recorded audio as backing tracks which can be used to digitally encode a musical performance for repeated replay. However, every time a pre-recorded audio file is used it inherently sounds identical. Once a guitarist has used such a backing track several times, its usefulness as a composition tool or source of inspiration diminishes due to its invariant nature. Pre-recorded backing tracks of any kind always deliver the same chords in the same sequence using the same sounds and are of little use as an inspirational platform for one seeking to compose or play ad lib.
Musical composition can happen through flashes of inspiration, or serendipitous errors which may occur during a performance. When playing with a group of performers, a guitarist experiences the group reacting to changes of chord choice, tempo and rhythm. Through such inspiration and errors, or even concerted effort, it is said musicians may play ad lib, creating a previously unrehearsed musical piece.
Pre-recorded backing tracks or stored sequences of MIDI data all limit the artistic ability to play ad lib, due to their invariant nature, causing the same chord and musical structures to be played verbatim each time they are repeated. In light of the above, Applicant is aware of the following prior art.
US2015/0221297 discloses a method substantially constrained to the formation of drum rhythms, based on an analysis of a musical performance. Additionally, the process involves a sequence of intrinsically linked steps, being an analysis of a musical performance is completed and until such analysis is completed the next step of the sequence cannot begin. A subsequent step executes in order to ascertain an accent pattern and until said accent pattern is ascertained the next step of the sequence cannot begin. A further subsequent step executes in order to use said accent pattern as a means to identify a reference pattern and until said reference pattern is identified the next step of the sequence cannot begin. In this manner, a musical accompaniment is generated, however this is not dynamically responsive due to the intrinsic reliance on the step-wise interlocked sequence which must complete in series before said musical accompaniment can be produced. This becomes a static method of creating an invariant loop of rhythmic sounds which will become tiresome to a musician after a short period of time. This prior art method does not create a dynamic musical accompaniment that would be inspiring and responsive to the performance of a musician in real time. At best, it provides novelty value in creating endless static loops formed from a static musical performance, there is no real-time dynamic content after the accompaniment is generated.
Accordingly, US2015/0221297 teaches a method of creating a rhythmic output which does not comprise melodic elements. An example embodiment of US2015/0221297 is demonstrated in the GarageBand app, which in turn exemplifies a core constraint of the prior art, where a musician is required to manually create a backing track in the form of an infinitely repeating musical loop that never varies from what the musician input in the first instance. GarageBand does not create a melodic accompaniment in response to continuously and randomly selected chords performed by a guitar player. Furthermore, GarageBand is so complex that entire books are published to teach novice users how to create the most rudimentary musical backing tracks.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,829 describes a system which can generate a different sound for each string of a guitar, and further can generate multiple sounds, which can be seen as timbrel modification. U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,829 is embodied through custom electronics without which no sound will be generated or heard. It requires the creation of complex circuits, adding much complexity, expense and inconvenience of building and interconnecting a multitude of IC's and other circuitry. This prior art system does not generate an accompaniment that would be observed by any musician to be a real-time accompaniment, e.g. would not produce a sound like a rock band from a single performer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,517 discloses a system which has a significant constraint in its reliance on MIDI input and its responsiveness to all notes appearing as input—there is no provision for analogue signal input. Such an arrangement inherently means that if the input stops, then output correspondingly stops. The system also requires a selection of a plethora of MIDI files and operation of multiple complex user interface elements, which can be complex to a novice musician. The system does not comprise the technology necessary to execute the mathematical models (e.g. Fast Fourier Transform) required in determining the multitude of polyphonic pitches and intents inherent in an analogue signal source.
With all three pieces of prior art above, if an input starts, such as a note triggered on a guitar—when such input stops, the respective teachings of the prior art ceases to create any melodic output. US2015/0221297 appear limited to recording an instrument being played, then analysing that recorded passage in order to creatively present a matching drum beat. It roughly seems to describe “play a guitar or keyboard, and we'll take a moment to think up a drum beat”. This in no way resembles any real-time ability to create rhythmic and melodic parts in correspondence to a dynamically shifting and unrecorded sequence of chords. U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,829 can simply be described as a foot pedal—allowing a guitar to sound like different instruments, but does not create a multi-part musical arrangement as would be required to emulate a band of musicians.
The Fishman MIDI pickup is one example of many devices in the prior art which produce MIDI messages in response to notes played on a guitar, whereby said MIDI messages can be transmitted to a MIDI keyboard. The conversion of guitar notes to MIDI messages is a concept which is central to the present invention, however, the primary use of any MIDI pickup is to enable a guitarist to emulate another musical instrument, e.g. a synthesiser essentially substituting the tone of a guitar for the tone of another musical instrument, which Applicant believes is not desirable in many musical applications.
As such, Applicant has identified a need in the art for allowing a guitarist to experience a dynamic and responsive backing track, equivalent to playing with a group of musicians, controlled by the notes or chords played on a guitar, whilst also optionally playing melody ad lib, in order to release a guitarist from the constraints experienced by pre-recorded backing tracks and furthermore enable a single guitarist to control an entire band formed from sequenced and synthesized instruments.
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to propose possible improvements, at least in part, in amelioration of the known shortcomings in the art.